Mobile machines, such as on-highway vocational trucks, semi-trucks, off-highway trucks, etc. are equipped with hoods that enclose an engine and related induction, exhaust, and cooling system components. A conventional hood is hinged at a lower front end, near a bumper, and includes a handle located at a top center of the hood. In order to access the engine or one of the system components, a machine operator must pull forward and downward on the handle to cause the hood to pivot forward about the hinge. Some hoods are provided with shock absorbers that cushion opening and closing of the hood, and/or latches located at sides of the hood to secure the hood from unintentionally opening. An exemplary hood is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 685,294 that issued on Jul. 2, 2013.
Although conventional hoods with top-mounted handles may be adequate for some applications, they can also be less than optimal in other situations. Specifically, due to ever increasing power demands and regulations regarding engine efficiency, emissions, and power, more room within the engine enclosure is being consumed by specialized equipment required to satisfy the demands and regulations. Accordingly, hoods are becoming larger and taller to enclose this equipment, and the handles on top of the hood are becoming difficult for the machine operator to reach. In addition, the top-mounted handle can require significant force to pull a large hood open and, in combination with side-mounted latches, require a lot of effort and time.
The disclosed hood assembly is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.